Railway car truck



Aug. 19, 1947. R. J. OLANDER 2,425,822

. RAILWAY CAR TRUCK Filed May 19, 1944 @www Patente'd IAug. 19, 1947 RAILWAY can 'rauen Roland J. olanda, chicago, ni., mmm to w. n.

Miner, Inc., Chicago, Ill., a corporationof Delaware Application May 19, 1944, Serial No. 536,231

This inventionrelates to improvements in railway car trucks.

One object of the invention is to provide Vin a railway car truck means for effectively snubbing the action of the usual truck springs by frictionally resisting upward and downward movement of the truck bolster.

A more specic object of the invention isl to provide friction means for snubbing or dampening the action of the truck springs of a railway car comprising spring actuated friction blocks mounted in pockets in the truck side frames at the bolster guide portions thereof and engaging opposite sides of the bolster to frictionally oppose upward and downward movement thereof.

Other objects of the invention will more clearly appear from the description and claims hereinafter following.

In the drawing forming a part of this specification, Figure i'is a side elevational View of a portion of one of the side frame members of a railway car truck and the associated bolster and truck springs, illustrating my improvements yin connection therewith, said view being partly in vertical section. Figure 2 is a longitudinal, horizontal, sectional view, corresponding substantiall-y to the line 2-2 of Figure 1. Figures 3 and-4 are detail perspective views of a. friction shoe and a wedge block employed in the improved construction illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. Figure 5 is a. view, similiar to Figure l, ofV the upper right hand portion of the truck side frame member, illustrating another embodiment of the invention.

In said drawing, I indicates one of the side frame members of a railway car truck. The side frame member I0 is in the form of a. casting and has top and bottom, horizontal members I'IV and I2 connected by spaced, vertically disposed sections I3|3. As will be understood by A,those skilled in this art, the truck includes two side frame members III-I0. a truck bolster I4, and the usual truck springs I5I5 comprising two clusters at opposite sides of the truck supported on the lower members I2-I2 of the side frames.

The opposite ends of the bolster are guided between the sections I3--I3 of the truck side frames and the bolster is supported by the springs IS--I 5. The truck bolster, in turn, supports the body bolster of the car. f

As shown in Figure 1, .the sections I3-I3 have inwardly offset portions at the upper ends thereof. which provide guides. Iii-I6 with which guide seats Il-l'I at opposite sides of the Abolster I4 cooperate. v

4 Claims. (Cl. 10S-197) The vertical sections I3-I3 of each side frame casting I0 include vertical sidewalls IB-IB and inner and outer webs I! and 2li at right angles to each side wall. The webs I9 and 20' together with similar webs 2 I--2I on the top and bottom members II and I2,'form the inner and outer side walls of the side frame casting.

Referring first to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, my improved snubbing means comprises broadly a pair of rocking friction shoes A--A carried by each side frame member, having frictional contact with the bolster at opposite sides thereof; a pair of wedge blocks B-B having wedging engagement with the friction shoes A-A; and two springs C-C cooperating with the wedge blocks B--B.

In carrying out my invention, as illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, I provide pockets 22--22 in the side frame member at each side of the bolster guide opening thereof. Each pocket is formed by the inner and outer webs I9 and 20 of the section I3 of the side frame, a vertical rear or back wall 23 spaced from the wall I8, and a bottom wall 24. The offset section I6 of each section I3 forming the bolster guide portion of the section comprises inward extensions of the webs I9 and 2n and transverse top andbottom walls 25-25 connected tosaid extensions, thus defining a rectangular opening 26 through the section I3 at the bolster guide portion thereof,

which opening communicates with the pocket 22.

The bottom wall 24 of the pocket is depressed4 with respect to the bottom wall 25 of the opening 26 and is transversely concave, as shown, to provide a seat in which the lower end of the shoe A is adapted to fulcrum. The pocket 22 is open at the upper end, as indicated at 21, the opening 21 accommodating the spring C'.

The shoes A--A are two in number for each side frame member, four such shoes being provided in each truck. 'I'he shoes A-A are all of similar design and are arranged in pairs at opposite ends of the truck bolster I4. The shoes A-A at each end of the bolsterI are located at opposite sides thereof in the pockets 22-22 of the corresponding side frame member.

Each shoe A has a depending fulcrum arm 28, a vertical friction surface 29 on the inner side thereof, and a fiat wedge face 30' at its upper end. The shoe A is rockingly or pivotally mounted in the pocket with the friction surface 29 thereof bearing on the vertical side face of the bolster I4.

The wedge blocks B-B are four in number for each railway car truck and cooperate with the four shoes A--AAA, two blocks being associated with each 'side frame member. Each block B is of elongated form and enlarged at the lower end. The block B has a fiat,4vertical. rear face 3i slidingly engaging the inner side ofthe vertical back wall 23 of the pocket 22. At the lower end, the block B is provided with a flat wedge face 32, which engages with the wedge face -30 of the corresponding shoe A.

The springs C-C-C-.CL which are four in number, are arranged in pairs at opposite sides of the truck, two of said springs being associated with each side frame member of the truck and cooperating with the corresponding wedge blocks B-B. The spring C of each wedge block B is interposed between the upper end of the block and the underneath side of the transverse, horizontal wall of the top member I i, which wall is indicated by 33. The upper end of the block B and the wall 33 are provided with spring centering projections 34-34 which engage within the opposite ends of the spring C to hold the same c entered. The springs C-C are under initial compression and force the blocks B-B downwardly, thereby wedging the shoes A--A inwardly against the sides of the bolster I4. As will be evident, the frictional resistance provided by the shoes A-A bearing on the bolster eifectively snubs the action of the truck springs by opposing vertical movement of the bolster with respect to the truck side frame. In this connection it is pointed out that should the springs C-C fail for any reason, the weight of the wedge blocks B-B will produce a certain amount of wedging action on` the shoes A-A to maintain the same in position to guide the bolster and also produceslight frictional Aresistance to provide snubbing action.

Referring next to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 5, my improved snubbing means comprises broadly a friction shoe D at each side of the bolster at each end thereof and a leaf spring E cooperating with each shoe.

At each side of the bolster a pocket 35 is provided similar to the pocket 22 of the bolster illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4.- The 'pocket 35 includes an inclined top wall 33, which is inclined upwardly and inwardly toward the bolster, as clearly shown in Figure 5. The wall 33 of the pocket forms a wedge face which cooperates vwith the shoe D. The pocket is also provided with a transverse bottom wall 31, which has an upturned flange 33 at its outer end. The back wall of the pocket is indicated by 33 and is provided with an opening 40 therethrough, thereby presenting a downwardly facing, horizontal shoulder 4| at the top or upper wall of said opening.

The shoe D, which is of the cross sectional shape shown in Figure 5, has a vertically disposed, flat friction surface 42 on the side thereof engaging the corresponding vertical side face of the bolster i4. At the lower inner side, the shoe D is provided with a downwardly inclined, laterally extending arm 43, which is provided with a transverse opening or slot 44, extending therethrough, adapted to accommodate the leaf spring E.

The spring E is in the form of an elongated, fiat plate and is engaged through the opening or slot 44` of the arm 43 of the shoe D and is confinedbetween the shoulder 4I and the flange 38 of the pocket 35. The spring E is under tension, being bowed as show in Figure 5, and presses the shoe D against the wedge face 36 of the pocket to wedge the shoe against the side of the bolster.

At the inner end of the opening or slot 44 of thearm 43, the lower corner of the shoe D is rounded 4 oil', as indicated at 45, to provide a bearing surface for the leaf spring E.

As will be evident, the friction shoe D is held in tight frictional engagement with the bolster by the leaf spring E, which is under tension, thereby frictionally resisting up and down movement of the bolster to effectively snub the action of the truck springs.

By the arrangement of shoes shown in Figure 5 having the depending arms 43.-43, failure of the leaf springs, in case of damage or breakage, is taken care of. Assuming that the spring E is accidentally broken, the shoe D will rock on the arm 43, the latter fulcruming on the lower wall of the pocket 35, a rounded seat 46 being provided' at the lower inner corner of the pocket for the end of the arm 43.

I have herein shown and described what I now consider the preferred manner of carrying out my invention, but the same is merely illustrative and I contemplate all changes and modifications that come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In a railway car truck, the combination with truck side frames provided with bolster guides, a truck bolster, and springs supporting said bolster on the truck side frames between said guides; of a pocket in each side frame at opposite sides oi the bolster at said bolster guides a friction shoe in said pocket and fulcrumed at its lower end, said shoe bearing on the side of the bolster; a wedge engaging said shoe and forcing the same against the side of the bolster; and a spring buttressed against the side frame and pressing said wedge into wedging engagement with the shoe.

2. In a railway car truck, the combination with a truck side frame member having spaced, vertical bolster guides, a truck bolster vertically movable between said guides, and truck springs supporting said bolster on the side frame; of a pocket in said side frame at each side of said bolster at said bolster guides; a friction shoe in each pocket, said shoe having a friction surface in engagement with the corresponding side of the bolster, a wedge face at the upper end, and a fulcrum arm at the lower end, said arm being pivotally supported in said pocket; a wedge block in said pocket ab'ove said shoe having a wedge face at its lower end engaging the wedge face of the shoe; and a spring under compression buttressed at its upper end against said side frame and bearing at its 'lower end on the upper end of said wedge block.

3. In a railway car truck, the combination with a truck side frame having spaced, vertical bolster guides, a truck bolster guided for vertical movement between said guides, and truck springs supporting said bolster on the side frame; of pockets in said side frame at opposite sides of the bolster at said bolster guides, each pocket having a vertically disposed inner wall; a fulcrum seat at the lower end of said pocket; a friction shoe in each pocket, said shoe having an outer friction surface thereon bearing on the corresponding side of the bolster; a wedge face at the upper end of the shoe; a fulcrum arm at the lower end of the shoe pivotally supported in said fulcrum seat; a wedge block in said pocket above said shoe interposed between the shoe and said vertical wall of the pocket and siidably engaging said wall, said block having a wedge face at its lower end engaging the wedge face of the shoe and a spring under compression buttressed against said side 5 frame and engaging said blockto force the same downwardly against the shoe.

4. In a railway car truck, the combination with truck side frame members, a truck bolster, and springs supporting said bolster on the side frame 5 shoe and a spring for pressing said shoe and member against each other. ROLAND J. OLANDER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES P ATENTS 10 Number Name Date 1,173,397 Trowbridge Feb. 29, 1916 2,159,138 Duryea T* May 23, 1939 2,352,693 Davidson July 4, 1944 

